The invention relates to a lighting fixture which provides for adjustment of beam characteristics and glare control and more specifically to a spot light fixture which permits adjustment of beam characteristics and glare which is resistant to corrosion.
Environmental lighting, particularly outdoor lighting, is well known in commercial or public settings, such as parks and schools. Such lighting is becoming increasingly popular for residential use, both to enhance the appearance and safety of the outdoor area and for security, to illuminate dark areas around a building or in a yard which may provide hiding places and unobserved entry points for intruders.
Landscape and outdoor lighting systems include one or more lighting fixtures which are connected to either a 12 V transformer or a standard 120 VAC line. The lighting fixtures generally include a housing, a reflector assembly having a halogen or conventional bulb, and a lens or window. Many configurations are known, each of which provides a different lighting effect.
One of the more popular and versatile lighting fixtures is the spot light, which can be used for washing a wall or other surface with light, for creating shadows and silhouettes, for backlighting, and for highlighting features such as trees or statues. A spot light is typically configured as a cylindrical housing attached to a pivoting knuckle joint which allows the light to be directed at variable angles. The knuckle joint may be attached to a mounting brackets for attachment to structures, posts or trees, or placement of the fixtures can be as simple as sticking a tapered spike, which is attached to the pivoting joint, into the ground, so that no structures need to be modified to retain the fixture. Further, the use of a spike allows the fixtures to be placed within planters and lawn areas, and next to trees, away from structures.
A reflector assembly, which is generally parabolic, is typically fixed within the end of the cylindrical housing nearest the open end, so that the light is emitted at a fixed angle from the fixture. The end of the cylinder is enclosed with a clear window to prevent water from pooling and/or to prevent xe2x80x9ccookingxe2x80x9d of plant matter or dirt directly on any lenses. The clear window, which may be curved (convex) to minimize build-up at its center, is sealed to the housing using a silicone or similar sealant to provide a watertight seal.
In locations where the light fixture is aimed away from a viewer""s eyes, for example, where a wall is to be washed with light, glare is not a significant consideration. However, in many applications, such as feature highlighting and downlighting near walkways or other areas where people will be in close proximity to the illuminated feature, glare is a problem that is often considered to be the single most important factor in determining safety and aesthetics of any lighting project. Conventional techniques used to reduce or control glare include external shrouds and baffles. The use of external glare control devices provides a collection point for combustible organic debris such as leaves and twigs at what is commonly the hottest point of the fixture. In some situations, glare can remain a problem even with the use of a baffle or shroud since the fixed placement of the parabolic reflector means that the lamp will still be relatively close to the end of the fixture, allowing the filament to be visible, and glaringly bright, when viewed from certain angles.
It would be desirable to provide a light fixture that can be readily modified to allow beam qualities, such as shape, quality and color of the light, and the amount of glare to be varied without introducing components which result in premature failure of the fixtures or detract from the aesthetic qualities of the fixtures, both of which are important features in environmental lighting systems. These problems and deficiencies are clearly felt in the art and are solved by the present invention in the manner described below.
It is an advantage of the present invention to provide a spot light fixture which permits insertion of a variety of combinations of filters, lenses and other beam modifiers for modifying shape, quality and color of the light output.
It is a further advantage of the present invention to provide a spot light fixture that can be readily modified to reduce glare to meet the needs of different installation locations within an area to be illuminated.
Another advantage of the present invention is to provide a spot light fixture that can be readily modified after installation while still retaining a watertight seal.
Still another advantage of the present invention is to provide internal glare protection, thus reducing or eliminating the need for deep external shrouds which can collect combustible organic debris.
In an exemplary embodiment, the spot light fixture comprises a housing formed from the combination of a base and a shroud. A reflector assembly, which includes a lamp, is plugged into a socket retained within the base. A compression spring in the base generates an outward axial bias on the reflector assembly to press the reflector assembly toward a window in the distal end of the shroud. The interior of the shroud, which has a first inner diameter, has an annular ridge or a second, smaller inner diameter, the inner edge of which acts as a stop to prevent the reflector assembly from being pushed out of the distal end of the shroud. The outer edge of the ridge provides support for the window, which is attached to the shroud to create a watertight seal. One or more lenses, filters or other optical elements for modification of the beam emitted from the reflector assembly have an outer diameter adapted to fit within the first inner diameter but smaller than the second inner diameter may be inserted into the shroud between the reflector assembly and the annular ridge. One or more rings having an outer diameter which fits within the first inner diameter of the shroud can be inserted between the reflector assembly and annular ridge and any optical elements disposed within the reflector assembly and the annular ridge to cause the reflector assembly to be recessed within the housing for glare reduction. Multiple rings can be used, essentially stacked on one another, to provide a deeper recession of the reflector assembly. In one embodiment the ring is formed with a telescoping feature, allowing its depth to be adjusted, to adjust the depth at which the reflector assembly is recessed into the fixture. A set screw or other fastener can be used to hold the ring at the desired depth once it has been determined. Various combinations of optical elements and rings can be sandwiched between the reflector assembly and the annular ridge to modify the beam as needed to create different lighting effects and/or reduce glare.
The base of the housing has an insert portion with a reduced outer diameter at its distal end to fit within the inner diameter of the shroud at its proximal end. In the preferred embodiment, the base and shroud are press fit together. In an alternate embodiment, the base and shroud are formed with mating threads and are assembled by screwing the shroud onto the base. The insert portion of the base has at least one first annular groove formed in its outer diameter to provide a seat for retaining a first O-ring having a large gauge and a smaller, second annular groove to as act a seat for a second O-ring with a smaller gauge. The second annular groove is positioned to coincide with the inside of the bottom edge of the shroud. The combination of O-rings provides a watertight seal when the insert portion of the base is fully inserted into the shroud.